Leah

"Ice coffee? Hot coffee? Or Frappuccino?" Jace asked as his eyes scanned the menu in front of us.

We were currently standing at one of the Starbucks in the outdoor mall. The line in front of us wasn't long, there were about two people ahead of us. Eyes from many students from our school were still on us, wondering what is going on between us. I could hear the not so silent whispers behind us.

I agreed to this?

I knew attention came with the job. I'll just have to get use to it.

"Really? Coffee?" I asked in annoyed tone. I would have much rather been home drowning myself in cookie dough ice cream while catching up on the latest season of Supernatural . But no, instead I'm standing in the middle of the one place I dread with the Jace Emerson while everyone around us make their assumptions on our status.

Jace glanced down at me with amusement etched onto his face. He knew how much I was loathing the attention and he was enjoying my agony. "Yes, coffee." He leaned down to my ear level. "I'm not thrilled about this situation either, but I'm doing you a favor. Try and make the best of it."

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, yeah, I know he is doing me a favor and I'm being bitter at the moment, but its not like he's not getting anything out of this. This thing between us is nothing more than a  game to him. And he has all his money on me.

I should claim his car as my prize when I win. Yeah, I'll do that.

I have to say, having something to work towards heightened my motivation to the sky.

Once at the counter, I ordered a medium white chocolate mocha latte. It is literally my holy grail, I could literally drink buckets of it. If you've never tried it, you must be living under a rock. It's like a gift sent from the gods. Don't try me on this.

Jace didn't order anything saying he didn't get why there's all this different flavor. Oh, just you wait. Once you find yourself in a the Starbucks rabbit hole, there is no way to get out. Just as I was going to hand the cash over to pay, Jace had beat me to it.

"Uh, thanks." I said awkwardly with the cash still in my hand.

"What are boyfriends for?" He asked sending a wink my way as he picked up my drink and handed it to me. I think he enjoys saying the word 'boyfriend' too much.

We walked through the outdoor mall side by side, our shoulders brushing against each other every once in awhile. Jace took my arm and looped it into his. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but then I realized the eyes that surrounded us. Without thought, my hand found its way and rested on his bicep. And wow. I was over taken with shock with how strong his muscles were.

I took a sip of my drink and almost moaned in delight as soon as the hot liquid touched my tongue. It's that good, like I said don't try me on this. Jace must have saw my reaction and snagged the cup out of my hand.

"Hey!" I yelled as my lifeline was taken away from me. Jace ignored my protest and my constant grabs for the cup. He took a sip of the drink and his eyes widened. He took another sip and another and another. "Hey! No fair, you didn't want anything." I whined. "Don't drink it all!"

He has gone down the Starbucks rabbit hole!

He finally handed me back my cup with half of the delicious liquid gone causing me to glare at him. "Now, if your lips tasted like that all the time, I wouldn't mind kissing you."

The image of Jace kissing me entered my mind and caused my cheeks to turn a bright pink color. Damn him.

Why? Why did that have to come to mind!?

Noticing my flustered state, Jace stepped in front of me stopping me in my tracks. He leaned down to my eye level, his hand made its way to my chin and tilted my head up slightly. "Maybe I should test that theory out right now." His voice coming out slightly husky.

My breath hitching when I saw him lean in closer. His warm breath fanned my already heated cheeks and as if on cue my eyes fluttered closed. His breath getting warming on my cheeks signaling we was getting closer. My lips yearned in anticipation.

A loud ringing sound between us snapped me out of my trance state. Jace moved away quickly and pulled out his cell phone answering it in one swift moment.

My eyes widen in shock. What the hell? Was I about to let Jace kiss me? Jace Emerson, bad boy? The one who has a track record with girls? The one who probably screwed more girls than I could count? The one who crushes hearts and never glance back?

Jace has never been in a serious relationship. It was more like pick a girl, fool around and onto the next. You can imagine the many teenage girl's hearts he crushed.

I didn't want to be one of those girls!

I smack my hands to my cheeks and shook my head try to put some sense back into my brain. What was I think?

You weren't.

Clearly.

After pulling myself together and downing the rest of  latte to cool myself down, I looked over to Jace and had to do a double take.

Whoa.

His demeanor was ridged and radiating dominance. His jaw set so firmly that any tighter he would probably break teeth. Fingers wrapped around his cell phone tightly causing his knuckles to turn white. His hazel eyes darken and held pure coldness. The once playful personality that was there was long gone.

He shifted into a person I didn't recognize.

Whoever was on the other line was and what ever they were saying did not sit well with Jace. I waited while he was still on the phone, whatever was happening looked important and I didn't want to interrupt. So, I looked around the area and went up to a kiosk that was only a few feet away.

I let my eyes scanned the jewelry that was out for display. Rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces  glimmer in the showcase light. My eye caught on one item specifically, delicate gold rose necklace. The charm was hanging from the stem of the rose, each petal was outline in gold creases. Even the leaves had the details of a real rose. It was simple, yet so beautiful. I was captivated by this one piece of jewelry.

"What are you looking at?" A deep voice said from behind snapping me out the the admiration I was in.  I turned around to face Jace who was holding the playfulness he had once before, but behind that I could see an emotion of anger swirling within his hazel eyes.

He was covering his emotions. Something really must have ticked him off.

"Oh, nothing. Just looking." I told him by pointed back at the case. "Is everything okay?"

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Nothing important." Was all he said. I quirk a brow at his response. It didn't look like it wasn't important, but I decided not to push it. Wasn't my business in the first place. Although I am curious, but then again curiosity did kill the cat, right?

Don't be the cat, Leah.

Yup, I should listen to my brain this time.

Jace grabbed my hand and tugged me towards a store. But it turns out it wasn't a store, it was actually an arcade that the mall has.

"Oh, I'm so gonna kick your ass at these games." I told him with a devious smile on my face as we entered the already busy and bustling arcade.

Jace arched a brow at my statement. "You wish."

"Wanna bet?" I offered.

"Put your money where your mouth is."

Two hours and ten games later and I literally had to put my money where my mouth is. "How could I have lost to you?" I literally lost seven out of the ten games we played to Jace. He was a legit pro at them.

No one is that good at air hockey!

Jace shrugged his shoulders and popped a gummy bear in his mouth. He snagged a bag from the candy shop across the arcade. "Love, I have many skills you don't know about."

I rolled my eyes at him and stole a handful of gummy bears out of his bag. Way to make this weird, Jace. And just when I thought we were becoming friends. "Hey!" He whined.

"How does it feel now?" I asked shoving the gummies in my mouth. I could feel his heated glare on me.

His phone vibrated loudly causing him to mutter not so nice words. His phone would constantly ring during our games and each time he got more and more fed up. Eventually, he turned his phone off and focused on the games. Even with the distraction he still manage to kick my ass. No fair.

"Are you gonna answer that?" I asked.

"No." He said simply stuffing the phone back in his pocket.

"Jace." He looked at me. "Just answer the damn phone already before I take it and throw it in fountain. Then you'll lose all the numbers of the girls you were planning to screw. You'll only be left with your left hand."

"Can I count you as one of those girls?" A smirk evident on his lips.

"Jace." I warned. He held up his hands in surrender and pulled his phone out and answered the just as it vibrated again.

I tried to sneakily see if I could see the name on the phone. He clicked the answer button all too quickly.

I'm being the cat.

I had took the pack of gummy bears from him and started to munch on them window shopping as I waited. Piece of advice, window shopping is dangerous. Don't do it.

Oh that top is cute.

I would definitely wear that skirt.

Do I really need another pair of jeans?

I was lost in my own thoughts when I was startled by my name being shouted. The gummy bears dropped out my hands. Not the gummy bears!

I quickly picked the bag off the ground.

"Leah Ann Tate!" I cringe at the sound of my full name. Only two people call me by my full name, my mom and Kayla, and since my mom was at work that only left one person.

I slowly looked over my shoulder to see Kayla stalking towards me. My eyes widen. What is she doing here? Kayla never comes to this place on the weekend, she hated just as much as I did. Or I thought so.

And I was not ready for her.

"Uh, hey Kay." I said when she finally approach me. "What are you doing here?"

Kayla narrowed her eyes. "I could ask you the same."

"Fun story, actually I-" Started trying to make an excuse up, but was cut off.

"Sorry about that." I heard Jace said from behind me.

Oh shit.

Kayla gapped at us. Her eyes switching between me and Jace who was standing behind. I just smiled sheepishly.

Well, I wasn't expecting it to go this way.

****

Are you guys missing Nate yet? 🤭 don't worry he will appear soon!

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Until next chapter!
-Lisa-